Sperm whale rāhui lifted on Coromandel beach after iwi completes flensing process

The sperm whale washed up at Matapaua Bay on Saturday. Photo / Nick Kelly

The Department of Conservation (DoC) has provided advice on the flensing process performed upon a dead sperm whale on the Coromandel, and the subsequent removal of a rāhui imposed to avoid contamination and satisfy cultural protocols.

Flensing involves removing the blubber and meat from the bones of the whale, done in order to aid burial - which was difficult given the mammal's size.

The process was performed at Wharekaho Beach after the dead 40-tonne male adult whale was found washed up in Matapaua Bay on October 22. DoC communications adviser Abigail Monteith said the flensing had now been completed and the five-day rāhui lifted.

Ngāti Hei named the whale Puhiwai Rangi, which refers to the name of the whenua adjacent to the place where the dead whale was found.

"DoC and Ngāti Hei would like to thank Ngātiwai, Hori Parata and his team, Hauraki iwi, the people of Matapaua, Whitianga and Coromandel, Rae and Eddy [Roadworx], John from Trojan Marine, Project Jonah [who were consulted by DoC on arrival at the site], Thames-Coromandel District Council, Waikato Regional Council, and New Zealand Police," said Monteith.

After some speculation on social media concerning the impacts of moving the whale, Monteith said that the mammal was relocated as "the original site was logistically difficult to operate within and it would not have been possible to bury the whale there. Disposal at sea would have created a maritime safety issue. The whale may have also returned to shore at a later date".

A rāhui was put in place to "protect the public- there was short-term contamination at the site and also the risk of marine predators being attracted to the area", added Monteith, who was unable to advise on the cost involved in disposing of the whale. She did say that costs were "shared by DoC and Ngāti Hei", and that "a lot of time was donated to the kaupapa by iwi and the community who supported".

The was also some public conjecture the process would affect dunes and hatching dotterel at the beach, but Monteith said "the dunes and their biodiversity values were protected during the process- and three dotterel chicks hatched during the event".